(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a lockset assembly having a keyway cover-up mechanism to prevent entry of dust or other foreign matter into the keyway, and more particularly, to one having magnetic pins and a retainer either integrally formed with or separately mounted to the front face of a rotor defining the keyway. The retainer is rotatable relative to the rotor and may be locked in position to effectively cover the keyway, and may be unlocked by employing the magnetic force between opposing magnetic components.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
The prior art as taught in Japanese Patent No. JP11044132 essentially has provided therein multiple irregular holes on a front face of a rotor to accommodate corresponding magnetic pins mounted together with a cover plate, retainer and bonnet on the front end of the rotor. A circumferential portion of the retainer is provided with retaining walls and pushed by spring to constantly maintain upward elasticity. Through holes and perforations are provided on the bonnet, and multiple magnetic pieces are provided at the head of the key. The through holes are covered as the keyway remains covered due to the retainer being restricted by the pins being prevented from moving upward. The perforations on the bonnet are also closed by the cover plate. Upon unlocking, the magnetic pieces from the key are pressed against the cover plate inside the perforations, and the pins are rejected by the magnetic pieces having repulsive magnetic poles. The pins retreat from the retaining walls to allow the retainer""s movement upward by elastic force of the spring to expose the keyway.
The prior art operates essentially by retreating the retainer by taking advantage of the rejection force existing between the magnetic pieces on the key and pins extending from the front of the rotor to release the retainer for longitudinal displacement to permit access to the keyway. Though serving its purpose to cover the keyway, the structure of the prior art requires more members and higher manufacturing precision, since the retainer relies entirely upon the spring to slide to a fixed point before the keyway is fully exposed. As a result, the assembly of the prior art is very complex, yielding increased production costs. It is also vulnerable to failure during use. Furthermore, the retainer consumes much space, as it is partially exposed when released and must be pressed by the user to again cover the keyway. The exposed retainer, in addition, threatens to cut the user.
The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a lockset assembly having a cover-up mechanism for a keyway of a lockset that is safer and more compact in structure with minimal tendency to fail. The subject lockset assembly comprises a rotor, a retainer, a bushing, magnetic pins and spring, and a key containing a magnetic part for actuation. A rotor case cover is provided on a front end of the rotor with a keyway and multiple pin holes formed to accommodate springs and magnetic pins. The retainer has a through hole corresponding to the keyway and multiple insertion holes to receive pins protruding from the front face of the rotor, such that the retainer is held in position. A bushing captures the retainer against the end of the rotor. Once the unlocking part of the key engages the retainer, the magnetic pins retreat due to repulsive magnetic force, permitting the retainer to rotate relative to the rotor so that the through hole may be moved either in or out of alignment with the keyway.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a lockset assembly having a cover-up mechanism for a keyway that gives agile operation of a key applicable to various structures of the lockset. In one embodiment of the lockset assembly comprising a rotor, a retainer, a bushing, magnetic pins and springs, and a key containing an unlocking part, an independent case cover is provided on the front end of the rotor, and multiple tabs extend backward from a circumferential portion of the bushing to engage a front end of the rotor case cover and thereby capture the retainer. The bushing and the rotor case cover are thus both fixedly attached to the front end of the rotor.
Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide a lockset assembly having a cover-up mechanism for a keyway wherein a slot is formed in one embodiment on the front face of an unlocking part of the key which engages the retainer. A mating block for the slot is formed on the outer side of the retainer offset from the through hole so that the mating block""s coupling with the slot provides sufficient engagement to achieve easy operation of the mechanism.